


My Love Will Never Die

by lucidwaking



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Dreams and Nightmares, Gen, Multi, Recreational Drug Use, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2020-03-01 08:39:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18796846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucidwaking/pseuds/lucidwaking
Summary: In short, my take on what happens after S4 - SPOILERS BEWARE. Lucifer and Chloe try to find a way back to each other and calamity ensues





	1. Chapter 1

It's been two weeks. Two agonizing weeks. Since she told him, the ACTUAL Devil, that she was in love with him. Two weeks since, he in turn had to leave. To keep her safe. To protect humanity. He had to go back to a place he loathed, leave everyone and everything he ever loved. He loved her too. The knowledge only made the ache deeper.

Work was now her own personal Hell. Every case, every crime scene, every noise, every laugh- she turned and expected to see him there. And what could she tell everyone? Not the truth, they'd never believe her. So she said what he could. There was an emergency; he had to leave (she didn't dare say he went home, Hell was never his home). He wasn't sure when he'd be back. They saw how much it crushed her.

Then it happened.

She was at her desk pecking away at the keys, eyes glazed over, trying to put her entire focus on the case. When she heard that familiar honeyed voice.

"Chloe?"

In an instant she was up from her seat, they were in each other's arms, desperate hungry kisses that threatened to swallow them. She didn't care who saw. Until they finally broke apart. His devil face was back and everyone was staring.

He woke up in a cold sweat. Still in Hell. Still plagued by nightmares that always started as the sweetest dreams.


	2. Chapter 2

The dreams started immediately. The very night he left, the night she slept in his bed, so as not to lose the scent of him. Of course, she dreamed of him, it only made sense, but every night since? At first, it was torture, to see him every night, but know he wasn't there? Agony. Then it became a comfort, nearly an obsession. She'd look forward to the dreams even when they ended abruptly.

Chloe decided to research dreams, how to lengthen dreams, and then she discovered lucid dreaming. The idea was that instead of the dreams cutting short, she would be aware of what's happening and able to act of her own free will.  _Lucifer would love that._  

The first few nights were failures, usually there has to be a trigger (flip a light switch, use your phone, something that triggers your mind to realize you're dreaming), but she wanted it to be real so badly it didn't work every time. It wasn't until after a particularly brutal case where a father murdered his son that she was able to break through. 

She fell asleep on the couch, Trixie was at Dan's and she hadn't felt this alone in... ever. Chloe felt a blanket wrap around her and stirred. There he was, eyes shiny and sad.

"You're not here," she sobbed. "You're not here and you should be."

"I know. Would it help if you knew how much I wanted to be?" He sat close to her on the couch. She could feel the warmth of his touch, the steady hum of his heart. It felt so real... but Lucifer was gone.

"You're not here and that means this is a dream..."

"I suppose you're right about that. Can't really be here, Hell and all."

"I want you back. There has to be a way, has to!" She was shouting now, grabbing at his shoulders with the desperation of a wild animal caught in a trap.

He looked deeply sad, but didn't pull away.

"This is  _my_ dream," she huffed angrily, "And... and..." She couldn't finish her thought, she broke back into sobs. Lucifer held her close as she sobbed, kissed her forehead and sighed sadly.

"If only that were true..."

 

 

* * *

 

 

He awoke again from another torturous dream, another agonizing moment where he couldn't comfort her when she needed it. Why wouldn't these infernal dreams end? Seeing her, but knowing it wasn't real, he didn't deserve this. But what did she say...? 

"This is  _my_ dream."

Wouldn't that be something... It's a nice fantasy. He thought about her all the time, even when he tried his best to focus on anything else, she was always there. Of course, his subconscious would project her too. He wondered what she was doing, how she was doing, about the cases she now had to solve alone. But what if dreaming was like praying what if there  _was_ a way... No, no, it's not possible, but... well what did he have to lose? He closed his eyes and tried to find her.

 

* * *

 

 

Chloe woke up on the couch in her heart of hearts she was hoping to find a blanket wrapped around her, hoping that somehow he was able to be there for just a moment, but it wasn't real. She broke into wracking sobs again, just for a minute before she pulled herself together, had a glass of water and headed to bed. She was exhausted and started dreaming the moment her head hit the pillow.

This was not an ordinary dream. It didn't start like the others. She walked into a dark ashy room full of blackened pillars and columns.  _Is this Hell?_ she thought. She walked through the crumbling expanse, looking for Lucifer. He said he had a throne, where would he be? She walked towards a door felt her hand on the knob and then-

"No!" Lucifer grabbed her hand away from the door. "Chloe don't, you'll be trapped. How are you here? Did you die?"

"Die? No I don't think so, no, I'm dreaming this isn't real."

He thumbed her hand gently, "It feels very real. Are you sure you're not dead?"  
  
"Wouldn't you know if I died? After are you are the Devil so..."

"You're right.  _I'm_ the one dreaming. You're not really here."

"No, this is my dream: watch," Chloe said authoritatively and suddenly they were no longer in Hell, but back at Lucifer's penthouse.

He looked around dumbstruck, "Marvelous," he noted all of the details and they were all there. Every bottle of liquor, the crack on the wall, it was so real.

She watched him walk around his penthouse he seemed so real, seemed so surprised and she wondered if her imagination of him was this good or...

"Lucifer?" He stopped and looked at her. "Tell me something I don't know. Something I couldn't know."

"Something you couldn't know..." He furrowed his brow and then smiled, "I never got to tell you about the time I died."

"You died? When like a million years ago or-"

"When you were poisoned."

"When I- Wha-?"

"I needed to get the formula for the antidote and well the professor was dead so I-"

"You... you... died? For me?"

"Precisely." He smiled one of his hundred watt smiles pleased as could be. "Just popped into Hell for a minute, it was actually quite harrowing, I almost got stuck in my own loop, the one where I killed my brother."

"You killed Amenadiel?"  
  
"No, no Uriel. He was threatening to kill you. Remember that accident I said wasn't an accident. Uriel."

"But I thought angels can't kill humans... that can't be right. This can't be real, it-"  
  
She awoke with a start to her alarm. Too good to be true. But for a moment...


	3. Chapter 3

Lucid dreaming wasn't the only thing Chloe had thrown herself into researching. After a few weeks of moping, crying, struggling, throwing herself into her work, getting super involved in her daughter's life (too involved in Trixie's opinion), she broke. Sadness became anger, anger turned to rage, rage turned to focused energy. She read everything she could find about the underworld in every language ever written. Her nights stretched into morning poring over texts, manuscripts, and obscure online message boards.

She learned about every written and unwritten religion since the beginning of Man. She took notes and made comparisons and a wild story unfolded before her. Mankind's every dream, every perception, every inkling of life after death lay before her. She had transformed herself into a scholar in a few short months. Chloe had even had the ear of every religion professor in Southern California. She told no one.

Chloe was sleeping less, but she felt like she needed less sleep. When she did sleep she hadn't been able to dream. For a sweet moment she had thought she had found a way to speak to Lucifer, to see him again, but that hope seemed lost. Chloe knew there was something in front of her, she just needed a different perspective.

Her moods became edgier with everyone except Trixie. She hadn't been entirely honest about where he had gone, but also did have the need to lie to her.

"You love him don't you?" She asked her one night. Tears welled in her eyes that she couldn't hold back.

"I do."

"And he loves you?" she asked and Chloe nodded. "Then you'll find a way." Her words spoke with an authority beyond her years.

The young girl seemed to understand much more than she was told. When had her baby girl become such an Old Soul? They bonded deeply in these months. Chloe took extra care to be patient and understanding, knowing how crabby she was prone to be. Even when she had a moment Trixie didn't waver. She seemed to know exactly how much she was hurting despite her mother's best attempts to hide it.

People noticed the change in Chloe, most brushed it off as to whatever happened to Lucifer. Most people brushed whatever happened to him of as well. He was a playboy and whatever their thing was, well, most people didn't want to know. Sure they missed him hanging around, but no one was quite surprised to see him go.

Linda tried talking to her. Maze tried talking to her. Even Eve gave it her best. Chloe would only respond with near fanatical raving of countless ideas to get him back. It was heartbreaking. Something had to be done. No one knew what to do.

It was Maze's idea to have another girl's night. It was also Maze's idea to invite Eve. Her motives not being purely for Chloe's best interest. It was like pulling teeth to get Chloe to leave the house, but Ella prevailed. Her cheerful and sunny disposition returning to what it once was. Seeing her happy again was too much to turn down. "Just no tequila this time. Tequila and I are seeing other people."

They went to an obscure bar just east of the city. It was a dimly lit place, with pin ball machines and cheap(ish) drinks. It was the kind of place Lucifer would have scoffed at and then come back later to buy drugs. Chloe did an involuntary scan of the somewhat seedy bar and seated herself facing the door. It was noticeably tense until the second round. She just couldn't unwind.

The conversation finally started to flow, mostly thanks to Eve.

"I'm just trying to find out who I am what I want to be, where my place in this world is. It's scary, but also kinda exciting."

Ella squeezed her Maze tried her best not to ooze jealousy and shot back another drink. The third round became the fourth.

"That's great Eve, you should try to take some classes at the local college or even just spectate. See what piques your interest. You never know."

"Really? You think I could? I've never been much of a scholar."

Linda smiled and reached out her hand, "You can be whatever you want. I never thought this is what my life would be. I never thought I'd get a chance to be a mom. It just didn't feel in the cards for me. We never know what joys life can bring us."

Six drinks in Chloe slurred, "I never thought I'd fall in love with the Devil, never thought he would love me."

Rule one, no guy talk. And no talk about Lucifer was broken. they tried to steer the conversation back, but it was impossible.

"I mean the Actual Devil." She looked at her companions and watched the room spin, "Oh that's right Ella you don't know."  
  
"I think you've had a little too much Decker."  
  
"Nah, I'm fine." She hiccuped. "Just miss him. He went back to Hell for me. Actually," she stopped for a moment looking like she was going to be sick. "Twice." She paused trying to remember if he really had told her that or if it was a dream, she looked to Linda. "Twice?"

Linda froze, if she answered Ella would surely think she was crazy. "Ella, maybe we find Chloe a ride home, can you call Dan?"

"Don't wanna..." She spun around in her barstool.

Ella took the hint and stepped away to call Dan.

"He told you about the time we killed him?" Linda leaned in and said softly.

Chloe spun around in her chair again, "Don't know it might've been a dream. Wait you killed him?"

"Well that was the plan," Maze chimed in, "He actually did the dirty work himself."

Chloe struggled to focus as the room spun around her. "Woah, he really loves me," another hiccup, "A lot."

Eve was beginning to be upset and excused herself to the bathroom.

"Now look what you've done Decker," Maze hissed and followed her.

Chloe looked confused at Linda, "What I do?"

Linda shrugged. Ella got back. Chloe was pinning in her chair laughing mumbling, "Devil loves me."

Maze knocked on the bathroom door. "Eve," she paused, "Come on Eve don't make me break down the door."

She cracked the door and Maze stormed in once she saw her tears. "Who do I have to hit?"

Eve chuckled, "It's not- it's nothing." She looked to Maze with her big doe eyes shining with tears and broke, "Okay maybe a little something."

"He's not worth it,"

"It's not-" She took a breath and composed herself, " It's not him, it's. No one's ever cared about me like that. Not Adam. Not Lucifer."

Maze kissed her, furiously. There was no other way to express what she felt. After breathless seconds that felt like a lifetime Eve kissed her back with the same passion, but Maze cut her short.

"Look, I know you're still figuring things out. But when you're ready... Well no one's ever cared about me like that either, and I-"

Eve kissed her again, soft and sweet this time. "Thank you Maze."

By the time they reached the table Chloe had split from the tribe. The rest of the night was a lot more fun, even if they did feel a little guilty for enjoying it in her absence.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

Dan had almost immediately regretted picking up Chloe. He had been thankful tonight Trixie was at a friend's house. He didn't want her seeing her mother this way. He couldn't be too upset, though, he knew how hard loss cut a person, even if it was Lucifer.

"I'm gonna get Luciferrr out of Hell, I'll go get him if I hafta myself."

"Okay Chloe," He just agreed with her easier than argue with her about his Devil schtick.

"You don't believe me but I will. I will you'll see. You'll seeeee. He loves me."

"Sure has a funny way of showing it," he mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," he covered.

"You don't beelieeeve me. Lucifer went back to Hell and I gotta go get him back."

"Chloe I don't even know if I believe in Hell, I mean what if we come back as like, a frog?"

"What? That doesn't even make sense frogs are an endangered species, they're eeeekosystem is threatened by... by... ummmmmm, I forget. What were you saying?"

"Nothing, Chloe."

"Come back as a frog," she giggled and snorted. "a frog in a souuul ecosysem a frog innna wait."

"What?"

"Wait wait I got an idea. Oh it's crazy. It's crazy, but..."

"What is it Chloe?"

"Take me to Amenadiel."

"What? No, Chloe it's nearly 3 in the morning."

"So if Charlie is anything like Lucifer he's not asleep right now," She belly laughed.

"Chloe you're too drunk."

She grabbed his wrist firmly and in a voice that almost didn't seem human she said, "Take. Me. To. Amenadiel... NOW."

"Okay okay," he relented, "Ow." he rubbed his wrist. "But I don't want to get blamed for this."

"I won't even mention your name."

Dan was officially worried. He was going to make it a priority to get information out of Trixie and to keep a better eye on Chloe. He didn't want to blame Lucifer, but he couldn't help it. Why did he have to leave and what did he do that broke Chloe this time. She was always put together even when she wasn't. He had never in all their years together seen her become this untethered.

Lucifer had gone before, several times, but never for this long. This time was different and he couldn't quite put a finger one why. Chloe's rambling about him going to Hell didn't make any sense, but she hadn't spoken a word about where he had gone until tonight. Of course it was drunken ramblings, but maybe it was a hint. The whole man's identity was a giant metaphor, maybe he could investigate where he had gone. If he could fins him and get him back, maybe then Chloe could get closure or whatever she needed to move on from this. Whatever he had to do he had to act soon, he hated to see her spiral this way.

He felt guilty at how relieved he was to see her go to Amenadiel's. At least she was right, he was awake. No sleep for a new dad. He reminisced about baby Trixie on the way home.


	5. Chapter 5

She woke up extremely hungover on Linda's couch. She had been given a luxurious blanket and the softest pillow she'd ever felt. It was like a cloud, well who better to buy pillows than an angel? The softness of the pillow didn't deter the pounding in her head. She rolled over with a grunt and a groan.

Amenadieldiel was feeding baby Charlie.

"There's tea," he gestured to the warm cup in front of her. She sat up and breathed in the warm vapor. It felt like magic.

"Thanks," she mumbled. "Linda?"

"She's sleeping, she stayed out with a girls a little longer than you. You saw her come in, don't you remember?"

"I don't remember much if we're going to be honest." She slumped forward a bit, put the mug down and rubbed her temples. "How did I get here?"

"You said you were sworn to secrecy."

"Ooh, I was that drunk, huh?"

He smiled one of his forgiving angelic smiles. The compassion in his eyes melted her heart. "Just a little and it's understandable." He reached across the coffee table and squeezed her hand. "Chloe, you're going through a lot and these dreams you've been having-"

"Oh, no, I told you about that?"

"I'm glad you did. The dreams you've been having are like a kind of prayer or meditation. How else could you have known about Lucifer going to Hell for the antidote or Uriel?"

"Wait... that was... that was real?"

"All of it."

"Holy shit," she blushed, "Sorry." He waved a hand.

"He's going to learn worse from Lucifer.

"He is?" She looked at him tenuously to afraid to be hopeful.

"Chloe I admit when I first heard your plan, well I thought, I thought,  _Wow this girl is drunk._ But you started reciting ancient texts that even I had forgotten about. You were like a drunken savant Chloe. I think your plan could actually work."

Her eyes strained to focus over the pounding of her heart in her ears. Her breath came fast. She couldn't believe wha she was hearing, the whole night prior was an entire drunken blackout.

"What, uh, what is Drunk Chloe's plan?"

"It was funny, it didn't make any sense at first. you kept rambling about frogs and ecosystems. Then you started quoted scripture and pop culture references that went right over my head and then it made sense." She was leaning over her tea anxiously waiting. "You talked about Hell like it was a living breathing ecosystem, like each one of it's parts served a function in a great whole. You devised a way to autonomize Hell. To make it so it runs itself, even the demons. You had this grand plan for retribution and reincarnation."

"I did?" He nodded, "I don't remember any of that." She shook her head again, "But, how? I don't understand the details."

"The details aren't important. I'm going to ask one of our siblings to help, temporarily, while Lucifer works out the kinks, but you've got to reach him again.

"I don't know if I can. I haven't-" She frowned deeply, "It's been over a week since the last dream."

"Chloe, you are special, more special than you could ever know. You're a Miracle. If anyone can do this you can. I believe in you."

Those words, coming from the lips of a powerful benevolent angel sunk in like they were carved in stone. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

When Trixie came home it was all Dan could do not to give her the third degree. He asked her about her friends and her slumber party, asked her about school and about teachers, he asked about everything he could except Chloe.  
  
"Okay Dad what do you really want to talk about?"

He was caught off guard by her abruptness, "Whaaaat, pshh. I don't"

"You want to ask about Mom don't you?"

He burst like a water balloon, "I'm just worried Trix,"

"Don't worry, Daddy she's strong. She's smart and she's brave."

"She sure is," he paused, "Did she tell you what happened to Lucifer."

"She didn't have to," Dan cocked his head in confusion, "He wouldn't have left if he didn't have a really good reason."

Dan bit the inside of his cheek, he wanted to tell her he'd left before, wanted to curse his name, wanted to tell his daughter she was wrong, but he couldn't. He had to find out where he went, had to do this for Chloe.

Trixie put her hand on his shoulder and smiled, "It'll be okay."

So confident, so optimistic, what did he do to deserve such a fantastic human being for a daughter? She was growing up into a better person than he ever dreamed he could be. He couldn't be more proud.


	6. Chapter 6

It was a painstaking process to remember the details of what she had told Amenadiel the other night. Luckily it was Sunday. She wasn't sure what she would do if she had a case to juggle and this. Thank Lucifer's Dad that Dan had Trixie. He knew (or hoped) girl's night would require a day to recover. 

First thing she took a shower. Maze was out hunting a bounty, Trixie wouldn't be home until late, the place was her own. She toweled off after the shower skipped the bathrobe and decided to crank up her music to the max. 

In the weeks in Lucifer's absence she had slowly accumulated an entire playlist of songs mentioning the devil. In a weird way it made her feel closer to him and she knew he'd approve. It was a perfect method to focus on fleshing out her plan to save Lucifer. 

She was still unnerved from having learned Lucifer killed his brother. She tried to remember when that might have been, when he was extremely upset. She was less surprised he had gone to Hell for the antidote for her poison, though how he got there... She shuddered. No one person should have this much power over the Devil. 

Chloe was getting too much in her head and decided to head to Maze's room. She was slowly in the process of moving back, though she hadn't outright admitted it yet. She just said she needed time away from all the baby crap. Sure Maze. 

She felt a little like a trespasser, but she knew Maze would approve. Chloe rifled through her drawers trying not to see anything she wouldn't be able to unsee when she found it. No matter how many times she told her not to bring edibles into the house and there they were. She popped one into her mouth, a sour gummy bear. She reminded herself to yell at Maze about this later and headed out to the living room. 

Chloe felt like one of those old school detectives with yarn and a corkboard, but this was different. She pieced together bits of information from various sources as they came back to her and drew out a kind of map. Calendar dates, locations, astrological alignments. It was clicking into place. She had everything laid out on the floor and stood up to admire her handiwork. The room spun and she laughed. Oh no. 

Chloe's laughter was broken by the crippling paranoia that her ex would soon be home discovering her high as fuck plotting on how to rescue the Devil from Hell. That thought got her laughing again. She decided to put away the evidence and ohhhhh man is there ice cream in the fridge?

She chucked her yarn, corkboard, religious texts, and incriminating notes in her room. She turned off her music and turned on a documentary on Netflix and proceeded to demolish a tub of ice cream. 

She fell asleep on the couch and actually started to dream. Chloe couldn't remember how she got Lucifer's penthouse, she wasn't entirely sure if this was real, but had the sinking suspicion it was not. But there was Lucifer himself, sitting at the piano with a wicked grin. 

"Who told you, you could be so damn handsome?" She chided. 

His smile spread like wild fire, lighting up his features at once. 

"I'm a cop, and that's illegal buddy," she rambled. 

"Why, Detective, you've gotten into Maze's stash."

Chloe feigned indignation, "I. Would. Never."

He stood up and walked over to her, looking at her like he was drinking from a deep well. 

"Okay, maybe just one gummy bear," she confessed. "I didn't realize weed summoned the Devil. They warned us in school."

He was torn between laughter and affection, his chest felt like it could burst. He kissed her again, harder, and she met him with force, deepening the kiss, exploring his mouth, she was forced back against the Assyrian wall and damn was this getting hot. She knew where this was leading and-

The keys in the lock jarred her from her sleep. Chloe growled in frustration. She quickly tried to hide the evidence of her munchie induced binge. She ran into the kitchen with her empty tub of ice cream and cereal that she had hastily mixed in. 

She heard Dan and Trixie talking in the living room. She had left the TV on something innocuous. Dan moved around the room with the usual air of a detective on a crime scene. Trixie had run off to her room and he had mentioned he wanted to talk to Chloe. He poked his head into her room and caught the sight of yarn and corkboard with ramblings about Hell and demons. He was officially concerned, but heard Chloe heading this way so he headed back over to the couch. 

"Hey, Dan, what's up?" Chloe asked hoping to all hope that she didn't look high. She felt fine, but edibles... You can never tell. 

He studied her for a moment, "Chloe I'm worried about you, last night-"

"I'm so sorry about that I had way too much to drink and I woke up at Linda's it was... Pretty crazy." She said light-heartedly trying to pass it off as a joke. 

"Chloe I know Lucifer being gone, it's been hard. I know you too were... Close."

She bit her lip, nodded, and averted her gaze. 

"I'm just saying, if you need to talk..."

Chloe had focused in the corner of the rug, she was noticing a small rip in the thread. The rip was red, one small red thread, and her mind got moving along in noticing the playful weave of the red in Sea of blues and gold's, the red was hardly noticable except for the tear which brought it into focus. Red thread, was that a song? That sounded familiar. 

"Chloe?"

She looked up, realized she spaced out and tried to cover. 

"It's been really hard, I don't know when he's coming back. It wasn't really his choice to leave but..."

"Chloe where did he go?"

She bit the corner of her lip, "I can't really say."

"Chloe if he's involved with something dangerous-"

"It's nothing like that. Look, he had to go somewhere-"

"Last night you said he was in Hell,"

"I was drunk, Dan."

"You really were. Are you sure you're ok?"

"Scout's honor." She smiled and hoped she looked sober.

Dan sighed and made his way to the door and paused,"Don't feel like you have to hide things from me, Chloe. I'm here for you."

"Thanks Dan."

He slid out the door and back to his car. He sat in the driver's seat for a moment trying to recall exactly what he saw in Chloe's bedroom. Hell, demons, star alignments. It seemed like someone who was out of touch with reality. This wasn't the first sign he had noticed. 

Dan had been doing some investigating himself. Things didn't add up after Lucifer disappeared, the crime scene at the Mayan, all of those bodies, it made no sense. It made even less sense when Ella said most of the bodies were moved post-mortem. It was the largest massacre in recent history and they had zero leads. Chloe hadn't been able to make sense of it even though she was first on scene.

Then Lucifer was just gone and she was a wreck. Sure she tried to play it cool on the outside, throwing herself into work. Dan saw through her facade. He knew her too well, but every time he tried to get her to talk about it she shut down.

He had tailed Chloe to Lucifer's place more than a few times, saw the private entrance she used. He wished more than anything she would let him go. At first, he wondered if she was meeting him in secret, if this whole disappearing act was just that, an act. But he saw how drained she had become, how frantic she had been acting and he knew he was really gone. He never understood what their connection was, it was obvious to anyone who met Lucifer, that he was in love with Chloe. He would talk about her to anyone that would listen. For a carefree, drug loving, party boy he had one weakness, he was smitten with Dan's ex-wife.

Dan had been annoyed at first when Lucifer started tagging along at crime scenes, had been hurt when Chloe accepted him so easily into her life as her partner, but then he became accepting of it. Until Charlotte. How could Chloe not see how reckless Lucifer was? Besides being seven kinds of shady, he had secrets. After everything that happened with Pierce...

He took a deep breath and squeezed the steering wheel. After a few minutes he started the car and began to drive off. 

That wasn't Lucifer's fault. He didn't dislike the guy, but he didn't trust him. He didn't understand why Chloe put so much faith in him. He had no idea what she saw in him. He was reckless, impulsive, rude, and the whole Devil thing. Now it seemed like he had Chloe believing it. The weirdness that followed in his wake... There's something off about the guy. Dan was determined to find out what once and for all. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Funny story I did once have an edible that made me feel like the ground was riding up and that I had maybe summoned the devil. Don't high and drive. 21+ kiddos.


	7. Chapter 7

Time moves much differently in Hell. The actual concept of time is much different. It doesn't move in phases of the moon, nights and days, calendars, or years. There is no real way to keep track for starters. 

Time also doesn't move in exactly a linear fashion. Events sometimes seem random or jumbled, likely as an effect of the billions of time loops running around the place. 

Sometimes it feels like walking through quicksand or being pulled into a mire. This is why Lucifer spends most of his time high up on the throne where time is more or less stable or constantly moving, doing, commanding. 

Lucifer didn't have a regular sleep schedule and didn't want the demons to think he needed one. In all actuality, he didn't. He needed much less sleep with the irregular time of Hell. He found the work less tiring, less stimulating, and overall less exciting than his work on Earth. 

However, his lack if a regular sleep schedule meant infrequent dreams. Dreams he came to depend on and long for. It felt like it had been months since his last dream. In the meantime he had put the demons on a strict schedule. He wanted to be able to account for their whereabouts at all times. 

Things were finally quiet enough, he flew up to his throne and tried to rest his eyes. From high above, no one could see him dozing. It felt-

Hot, it's still too hot... And dry, bright... The desert? Again. He covered his eyes with a hand and looked out into the distance. 

"Chloe?" He queried softly. 

He started walking towards her but didn't feel like he was gaining any ground. The sun felt like it was burning brighter and hotter, but it didn't move in the sky. 

"Chloe?" He raised his voice. 

She turned to look at him and the moment their eyes met he was no longer in the desert. The sweltering heat was replaced by the cool him of an air conditioner. Chloe was standing in front of an open fridge pulling out random condiments and arranging them on the counter. She didn't acknowledge him. 

"Chloe?" He asked again with no response. He reached out to touch her shoulder and she froze, he was terrified she would flinch again. Instead she turned to look at him eyes wide and cheeks flushed. 

"Oh, my, you've gotten into Maze's stash haven't you?"

She feigned indignation, "whaaaat? Me? Pshhh..." She looked up at him innocently and he raised a single brow, "okay maybe just a little bit."

His smile faded a little. If only it were real. How funny she would be to be caught like this, high and raiding the fridge. It was a most amusing dream, but just a dream. 

"Hey wait," she grumbled, "I'm mad at you. I almost forgot. You almost made me forget, how rude. Rude Devil."

"Mad at me? Me?" He shot her a sad puppy look. 

"Don't you try with me buddy. You said no more secrets and you kept so much from me. You kept Uriel, dying, going to Hell all of it. And this!"

She walked over to him and put her hands on his face, gently stroking the stubble on his cheeks, seeming to relish every moment. 

"You never told me we could see each other like this."

"But, Detective, it's not real... It's a dream."

"But we're both having it." She said authoritatively. 

"I have no way of confirming that, maybe this is just-"

She cut him off with a sloppy kiss, messy, tired hungry lips searched his and he knew in that instant it was her. His most vivid dreams were never this real."

"Chloe?" He breathed like a prayer. 

"I found a way to get you out of Hell."

But they both woke up before she could get a word out. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof big tone change here. Warnings for depictions of alcohol abuse and domestic violence. Skip this one if it may be triggering.

The dreams had altogether stopped. As if when she spoke the words into being the universe interceded. She had found a plan to get Lucifer out of Hell and she had thought it was flawless. She pinpointed minute details, had Amendiel translate ancient texts for her she had thought it was perfect. But those things we think are perfect, so often have a way of tearing us asunder. 

Without the promise of Lucifer in her dreams, Chloe began to fall back into her regular routine. She started working hard at closing cases, had even paired up with Dan a few times and things began to fall into normalcy. She stopped visiting Lux for a while. A few days became a few weeks and before she knew it a month had passed with no sign from Lucifer, the Heavens, or Hell. 

Her most recent case was wearing on her mind. A mother had driven her car into a lake and drowned her child. She couldn't stop imagining the fear of that innocent child, the trust he had put in his mother to keep him safe, or the desperation from a mother who thought she had no other options. 

What seemed like a cut and dry case quickly unraveled into spousal abuse, threats of violence, and the child caught in the middle. Fearing her safety and the safety of her child, this woman did the unthinkable- anything to keep her husband away from her child. 

It was not a responsible decision to finish this bottle of wine. It was not a healthy coping mechanism. It was not an example to set for her daughter, but Trix was with Dan tonight and Chloe hadn't felt this alone since Lucifer left her that night on the balcony. So what's one more glass? Might as well finish the bottle. 

Chloe sadly shuffled into her room to get ready for bed bringing her last glass along with her. She had shoved her corkboard and research full of ancient texts into a file and shoved it under her bed, one of the papers had fallen out as she pulled the sheets back. Chloe leaned over to pick it up and accidentally spilled some of the wine onto the offending document. 

"Damn it," she grumbles and went to get some paper towels. The mess vaguely clean, she looked at the paper, she tried to see if it was still legible and tried pronouncing the words in another language and grumbled in frustration not remembering what they meant. She shoved the paper back into the box and fell asleep in an angry wine drunk stupor. 

But it wasn't a land of dreams that found her. It was a hazy, ashy, world of filth and despair. If she had her wits about her she would have recognized Hell, but she wasn't in the state of mind to extract meaning from her surroundings. She looked around and her eyes became blurry. Extremely blurry. As if she was looking through fogged glass. It was hard to breathe and she realized she was underwater. Trapped in a sinking car. 

Cries of terror filled her ears as her heart began to race. She looked into the passenger seat and saw Mary, the young mother begging for forgiveness for killing herself and her child. The child, Chloe reached to the back to unbuckle the child and take them to safety. 

As she reached into the darkness of the back seat, water quickly filling the cabin, she saw the face of her own daughter, it was Trixie, but at the tender age of two. How could this be? As she reached for her she vanished. Chloe choked and sputtered ad she began to drown. 

Coughing she awoke on the floor, but what's this? A man hovering over her screaming. She feels the sting on her face where he had punched her. The agony and she realizes her ribs are broken. She doesn't recognize the face, she knows it's her husband but it can't be, Dan would never be this cruel. 

The sound of her toddler crying in the other room sends adrenaline coursing through her veins. She runs to get there before her husband. 

_If I can just reach her before he does. I will lay down my life to protect her._

But she feels the pain on the back of her head and all goes dark. Her senses fail except the sound of rushing water. 

Chloe awakes in the bathroom, the sink running, unaware of how she came to be here. Her stomach turns and she vomits into the toilet. Tears streaking her face. The nausea subsides and she crawls into the tub awaking there the next morning stiff and filled with regret. 

Morning confirms what her dreams told her as Ella reads the forensic report. It appears, dear Mary didn't drive herself into the lake, she was knocked unconscious. The water in her lungs show she woke up and was alive when she drowned. The desperate wounds on her fingers show she struggled to save her son.

Chloe doesn't expect the rage to hit her as hard as it does. Tears sting in her eyes and her face is hot. She vaguely hears Dan growl, "Let's get this son of a bitch."

They drive together to the residence where they questioned a supposed grieving widower the other day. His tears seemed genuine at the time, looking back though the small details always build a bigger picture. The ride over Chloe is practically snarling her rage over this man. 

"He tortured her Dan, he made her life a living Hell. Those broken ribs weren't from the crash. That son of a bitch did that to her. That son of a bitch-"

"Deserves what's coming to him, Chlo. We'll get justice here. He's not getting away with this."

Two other officers arrived first in the scene. The door was left ajar, Chloe removed her gun from her holster instinctively, but quickly stowed it once she reached the inside of the house. 

The son of a bitch had killed himself. Maybe it was remorse he felt it maybe just the fear of getting caught. Either way, this was out of their jurisdiction now. 

"That asshole deserved to see justice," Dan raged. 

Chloe shook her head, "He will, Dan." She mumbled softer, "Lucifer will see to it." Unsure if he was able to hear her, no longer sure if she cared if he did. 

He put his hand on her shoulder, "come on you need to be with Trixie tonight. There's nothing more for us to do here other than paperwork and that can wait until morning."

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

_Somewhere in the bowels of Hell a man named Jeremiah cried out in agony and fear. His eyes taking in the sight of a humanesque monster, it's skin burnt and charred, its eyes twin flames and it's voice the most sinister growl._

_You will pay for what you've done!_

_The room fills with water as the man begins to drown. He wakes over and over again to the begging faces of his family pleading for mercy. Over and over he is given none as he lives out the torment her carried out on Earth._


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My confession is in writing this on my phone while I should be sleeping so if there's typos I'll try to sweep them up later

Lucifer was  _bored_. He missed Earth, he missed his friends, his family, Chloe... But he also missed  _things_. Really specific things that just couldn't be found in Hell. Like his favorite hot sauce, his favorite restaurants, his favorite meals, his favorite pickles...

 _Am I bored or just hungry?_ he thought to himself as he wandered from doorway to doorway. He was spending more time in different loops trying to find ways of reminding himself of home. The little things, you know?

He was walking through the loop of a man who shot his brother in a Costco parking lot. At least this loop had a freezer section. Hell's constant humidity was wearing thin. Lucifer stalked the aisles and looked at frozen treats. A popsicle brand caught his eye,  _Chloe's Pops._ Well that's probably a sign. 

He grabbed one out of the box. "Ooh they're organic. How nice." He began to eat a strawberry popsicle even though it wasn't real. 

The man who's torture this was came around the aisle and shouted at him, "Hey you can't do that!" He growled. 

"And why not Rich? Is that wrong? Is it wrong to take things that don't belong to you, like taking someone's life?"

"No, I- didn't mean to-"

"To what? To kill your brother? Ouch. You didn't mean to? At least when I killed my brother I meant it." He shifted back to his devil form and the popsicle melted in his hand. "Now-"he said in a low growl, "what are we going to do with you?"

The figure of the man's brother disfigured from his fatal head wound crawled out from behind Lucifer. Begging for answers. "Why did you do it Richard? Why?!"

As the brother's role in torment took over Lucifer left and changed back to his angelic form. Bored again. He flew up to his throne and peered over at the darkness below trying to decide on where to go next. Frustration crept into his chest, strangling his breath, and filling him with anger. He shifted once more to his Devil form and let and a barreling roar that echoed over the chambers startling many a demon, but he didn't move from his seat. 

 

 

* * *

 

Chloe was struggling in a brand new way. Her solve rate was almost back up to when she was partnered with Lucifer. She was so highly efficient, mainly because she was hardly able to rest. The days of dreamless sleep were long gone, but no longer was Lucifer there, no instead she relived the horrors of the murders she set out to solve. 

She wasn't sure if ghosts existed, hadn't had the time to ask Amenadiel, or quite frankly, the energy. Chloe sure felt like she was haunted. Haunted by every crime scene that no longer just broke her heart, but tore apart her mind. Her days consisted of grizzly homicides, evidence reports, witness interrogations, and lots of coffee. Her nights were filled with cold sweats, sleep remedies, dark hallways, suffocation, and all the pain and fear that came from dying over and over again.

As a refuge, she began to go over to Lucifer's penthouse again. Usually during the day, on a lunch break or on the way home from work if Trixie was with Dan. She would go over and read Lucifer's first edition manuscripts, she'd sneak sips from his whiskey collection, and play his stereo, often, loudly, becoming quite endeared to his wide and ranging music collection. It was during these times she felt closest to Lucifer, felt like she could share in what made him happy here on Earth. And although pickles don't go bad, she felt the obligation to help clear out his fridge. It was the only time she felt she could relax, because she knew once she was home sooner or later she would have to go to sleep.

What could it possibly be tonight? A new case hadn't yet dropped, though that hadn't stopped the nightmares before. No, instead she'd get near prophetic dreams of fresh crime scenes she'd arrive to come morning. More than one occasion she'd stopped Ella in her tracks by finishing off her sentence before she could even get the words out. Although, Chloe loved seeking justice for those denied it in their final moments, the never-ending onslaught of nightmares was beginning to make her question her career choice, but she couldn't give up. What the dreams drained in energy they gave back in passion, she was more fierce and razor sharp than ever in pursuing her suspects.

She finished leftovers in the fridge and sat up with Trixie watching a movie and talking about her day at school. Thank Lucifer's Dad for the weekend, because she wasn't feeling like she could do another day. Though, it's not unheard of to get called in on a Saturday, she was hoping against hope that wouldn't be the case. When Trixie began to nod off she sent her off to bed. Chloe brushed and flossed popcorn kernels out of her teeth until she caught a wave of exhaustion. A wave that immediately dissipated the moment her head touched the pillow. Her chest tightened and she felt anxious, she tried breathing exercises until her patience gave out and she polished off a bottle of Zzquil. 

Tonight was different from the rest. Again she found herself down below, amongst the soot and the ash, but things were different this time. She walked along a long corridor. And her hand brushed against the dimly lit wall and something bit her. She turned to see the wall was covered with eyes and teeth, she backed away quickly and was grabbed by a figure, no, not a figure, but arms reaching from the other wall. She quickly fought to free herself and tore away from the walls and ran down the corridor almost headlong into a tall robbed figure. It turned to her and its face was disfigured though she couldn't quite make out how. This nearly featureless face had piercing eyes and a white wide face like the surface of the moon. It reached toward her and she stumbled backward falling and falling into blackness. A terrified scream ripped through her-

"Mom!! Mommy!! Mom!!!" Trixie frantically shook Chloe on the kitchen floor. She slowly came to.

"Hey, Trixie, hey, I'm okay, I'm okay." She wiped away her daughters tears.

"Your hand," she pointed to her left hand which looks badly bruised. Chloe looked it over and realized she must have fell, but can't make out how she ended up in the kitchen. This isn't the first time she's woken up somewhere she shouldn't be, but the bruises are new. Her sleepwalking is getting worse. "Mommy you were screaming in your sleep, are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah, monkey, I just had a bad dream," she tried to comfort her daughter and herself with the reassurance that is  _was_ actually just a dream.

"Sometimes when I'm scared I remember how Maze taught me to fight, maybe she can teach you to and you won't be scared in your dreams."  
  
"Good idea monkey, now let's get back to sleep." Chloe ushered her daughter back to her room and reassured her everything was okay. Meanwhile she didn't dare close her eyes in her own bedroom. Instead she texted Maze.

_Hey. Teach me how to fight._

Almost instantly Maze replied with a string of emojis - knives mostly. Affirming her plans. Chloe flipped her phone over and stared at the ceiling waiting for morning to come.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The weekend passed quickly, and the weekend after that. Chloe was training with Maze four times a week. The nightmares didn't stop, but she was able to fight back the attackers of her victims. After she began fighting, the dreams became more lucid again. She was no longer in the place of the victim experiencing the horror in first person. Sometimes she would be able to intervene on behalf of the victim other times she wouldn't be able to stop them in time. Over time the dreams became less detailed, but more realistic and it was beginning to be difficult to tell what was real and what was not. 

At work from time to time she would flip the light switches just to make sure she was awake. She would drop things or poke herself, but that wasn't always reliable either. Her exhaustion felt like it was taking on a personality of its own and people started to notice the bags under her eyes. They told her she was working too hard, joked that her solve rate was making everyone else look bad. Chloe turned down more than a few offers to take a few days off. She said she would, but not yet, she had to finish this case, this paperwork, she needed to help Dan, always a convenient excuse to keep going. More than anything she wanted a break but she was too afraid to be alone. The sleepwalking hadn't gotten any better, Trixie had even devised a system of bells to help wake her when she wandered off, but instead it turned into a warning system to Trixie to go catch her sleeping mother and corral her back to bed.

Finally, when it started affecting Trixie, Dan told her he's had enough. He demanded she take the week off to catch up on sleep. He insisted Trixie spend some time with his mother. Really he's worried about her being caught up in the middle of this and wants her to have the time of to be spoiled by her _abuela_. She's such a good kid and she's dealing with more than her fair share. So Chloe reluctantly agreed and sees Trixie off. Instead of resting she spends more time with Maze, training with knives, with swords, whatever she can throw at her, literally. Chloe spends more time over at Lucifer's penthouse actually napping for a few hours without dreams.

It's this false sense of security that leads her to spending the night in his bed, just this one time, she thinks. Maybe, just maybe, she won't have nightmares. A part of her secretly afraid she'll sleepwalk off of the balcony, but too tired to really care.

Once again she's down a dusty corridor creatures groaning, gasping, and grasping at her from the shadows. She punches them, feeling them crumble like ancient statues into dust. This gives her confidence, confidence that's quickly tested as she has to climb through piles of bone in various states of decay. A skeleton arm reaches from the pile at her, she grabs it severing it quickly and it stops moving. She carried it like a walking stick to the end of the corridor where she's once again faced with the moon faced creature. 

Chloe, without hesitation, stabs the cloaked being through the abdomen with the bone in her hand. It also turns to dust. Confidence rising she navigates more corridors. More horrors, pools of blood, rooms with no sound, creatures, spiders, but these things don't seem to bother her, instead they pass by as if going along their own business. She slays a few more cloaked beings that threaten her, but their threats seem weak, half-hearted, and ingenuine. She's suspicious.

Before her is a forking path that leads to another forking path and another and another. It seems like an endless maze with no way to navigate. Suddenly there's a loud bellow, a strange trumpet like noise, but far too low to be a trumpet. The pitch is steady and clear as if from a stringed instrument, but the tone makes no sense for strings. It is unlike any sound she's ever heard in Earth, confirming once and for all this is real, this is Hell, and Lucifer is somewhere near.

She takes a deep breath and places one hand to her chest, the other gripping her weapon. The noise pierces out again. It pulls her, drawing her down the left. It sounds out again this time she goes right. The continues on for what seems like an eternity, walking, listening, following the pull of a noise that isn't even being heard by her ears. She feels it in her chest, can almost smell the sound as her senses distort as time bends backwards, forwards and back again. 

At long last she reaches a staircase. The winding stairs seem to lead directly to nowhere. And nowhere is where she goes, up and around, seeming to go down instead of up for what seems like hours. Finally she reaches a peak. Below she can see cells, she can vaguely make out figures inside of them, all caught in their own loops.

At another pillar, a demon calls out, "You there! What is your business here!" It snarls, before she can answer another demon shoves the first and mutters something to it. The first demon does a double take at Chloe, looks at the bone staff she has made herself and nods. "Apologies, sincerely, madam," He bows and back away down the pillar the second demon following quickly behind. She's left more confused than when she first arrived. Chloe looks around, it appears she's on the highest pillar, then the ashes shift and she sees the great height above. There's no way for her to reach. Not any chance at all. He must be there.

She has to strategize now, calling out would draw the wrong kind of attention, and who's to say he would even hear her. Instead she looks at her weapon, she considers heaving the great staff like a spear, but knows it would fall short. Chloe considers carefully her plan of action, sleep deprivation, Hell, and all other torments weighing heavily on her ability to think clearly. She holds the staff and considers her options, focusing on the pointed edge of the spear. Suddenly, she stabs the object into the scar on her chest, the one she got with him. The  _first_ time he saved her life. Her cries of agony echo out, blending into the cacophony of shrieks and moans, but the blood...

 

High above Lucifer feels a pain in his chest as if he's been stabbed. He thinks for a moment he's having a heart attack, how would that even be possible? He lurches forward in pain to the edge of his throne. As his gasps in pain he looks out over his Kingdom and sees something amiss. A human standing atop of one of the pillars.  _Did someone escape? Did they free themselves? Finally?_

He lunges forward wings spread and as he gets closer,  _it can't be._ But it is. Wings gloriously outstretched he lands beside her.

"Chloe? Is it really you?" He asks reaching softly out to her. "You're bleeding," he reaches to tend to her but she stops him.

"It really is, but I'm afraid I don't have much time. It seems Hell is becoming self-aware and that may be my fault. You see I have this plan... and it may be crazy but-"  
  
"Go on spit it out," he chides.

"Will you let me get to it, already. It's like an ecosystem, Hell, but all the pieces right now are separate. We need to move them together to form, well, to rehabilitate souls, basically. To get those damned to help each other and become better. Now I've spoken to Amenadiel, he said it may be possible for reincarnation, that we would just need to set things into motion and keep an eye on progress from time to time. But I have it all worked out all the details. Here's what I need you to do-"

Chloe explained details that she hardly understood herself of concepts that could only be explained in languages she didn't speak, memorized words and phrases from books and scrolls. It almost felt like speaking in tongues, like the words poured through her rather than from her, as if she was a divine messenger herself. But Lucifer understood every word and carefully listened without interrupting once, a new record. When the message was finally delivered she fell back and he caught her instantly, preventing her from falling from the pillar. He held her close and felt her heart pounding against his own chest. He wanted nothing more than to make this moment last, but he could see her starting to fade. Her eyes drooped and he knew once her eyes closed she would be back on Earth safe, unharmed, alive. 

"Lucifer-" she whispered harshly, "There's one more thing-"  
  
"Of course," he nodded and leaned into her to listen more clearly.

"I may have killed a few of your demons. Not sure, they turned into dust. It was... weird."

"Weirder still," he smirked as she started to fall asleep in his arm, "They believe you're their Queen."

"Quee-?" And she was gone. Fast asleep in his pillows. A deep sleep. No more nightmares only shades of yellow and green. A field, perhaps? Warmth. Sunlight? The breeze, maybe the ocean. Peace at last.


	10. Chapter 10

 

_Redemption._

It all made perfect sense. He didn't know why he hadn't thought of it a millennia ago, other minds less great than his own already made peace with the idea of reincarnation, why hadn't he? It was bloody brilliant. Reincarnation was already an option for a chosen few in heaven, it was perfect.

Once the Hell loop had completed enough times and the soul was ready, it would be sent to an empty vessel, an infant always. Too much trouble with errant souls winding up in the wrong bodies. No this had to be a clean slate. The way it worked was almost as perfect and calculated as a mathematical equation. This would solve the trouble of troubled souls. They would learn and grow and become better together. 

Demons themselves would be subject to their own Hell loops, they too would be give a chance to be ensouled if only they lasted long enough in their loop. It wasn't unprecedented. After all, the demons were only children of Lilith no more innately good or bad than anyone else just born under crueler circumstances.

For a human, it may take centuries, he imagined for a demon it would take a millennia or more, but it was a chance at a real life. The more vicious demons, those truly without hope would have to be dispatched. A task he made quick work of.

The idea to make Hell autonomous was, well, Earth shattering wouldn't be the right word. It was jarring, nonetheless. But once Lucifer had made up his mind he made adjustments quickly and forcefully. The remaining demons would be dealt with by Hell itself. The place itself becoming almost a being on its own. Hell was alive and becoming aware. This was for the best, and Father be damned, it was fair. The last obstacle would be the demons that guarded the gates, they would be the last who would be able to defect from Hell, to fight back. Only the cruelest had managed to escape punishment. 

He hated betraying the other demons, even if he knew it was for their own good. It was simple enough to get them into the cells, they just thought it was another day, another human to torture. Even if they weren't his friends or family he had shared lifetimes by their sides. Now all he could do was hope for their own redemption. It was all in their hands now. He believed they could become better. 

Lucifer wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but Hell itself seemed to be changing. There were more cells, the halls were quiet, the flames seemed to be going out. Hell was changing. Had the ash stopped falling? Couldn't be. But it was different. The familiar hum was replaced by an unfamiliar vibration. The place that was pure evil now felt a bit more like justice. Maybe Hell had frozen over. 

 _A rehabilitation center._ He chuckled softly.  _They tried to make me go to rehab..._

He felt... good about this, confident even. One last look around and he leapt from his throne. Determined and feeling powerful in his final fight. 

Without hesitation he flew full force toward the gates of Hell.  _One last time._  He hoped. The final ascent was nearly complete he could feel the heat dissipate that last of the ash and flames leave his shoulders. He was home free. 

A band of demons stood at the gates. The ones who couldn't reform, the truly evil. He easily struck two of them down. Watching them fall and crumble to dust was like a cathartic experience. The last if his old life finally crumbling, crashing, and burning. The last three burned up before him, but something wasn't right. His gut tensed.  _Chloe._

* * *

 

Meanwhile Chloe had been up for hours, finally having a good night's sleep, she felt rested and rejuvenated. She decided to relax with a shower and take in the quiet of the day. Once freshly bathed with all of Lucifer's expensive products and toweling off with an equally expensive fluffy towel she stepped into one of his robes, though this one felt more like a gown. She turned and posed in the mirror and practiced some of the tai chi Maze and taught her when she heard shuffling. Her heart sped up, the hair on her neck stood up, she crept into the bedroom and grabbed a sword as she heard the elevator ding.

Lucifer knew exactly where to meet her, he flew with purpose and speed. The balcony, where they said their goodbyes. It was there he knew he would find her again. 

What he hadn't anticipated was the last three of his former subjects already sparring with the detective. She was struggling, but holding her ground she had knocked one to the ground and was holding the other two at bay with what looked like a sword, where did she find that? When did she learn to fight?  _Must've been Maze._

He hit the two with a gust if wind from his wings knocking them back from Chloe. They immediately turned to him, the first he heaved over the balcony without hesitation. The second he punched in the throat so hard his neck snapped. The demon became dust.

The third stood up from the floor and made a move toward Chloe she dodged his attack and forced him to stumble. One solid punch and he slid across the floor, but quickly regained his footing. He turned to face Lucifer. 

The last of the holdouts stood before him. Fire in his eyes engulfed his body and he became the Devil once more. Rising to his full height, feeling all of the rage that had been locked away, the final demon between him and the life he always wanted. Poor bastard didn't stand a chance. 

With a magnificent roar he grabbed the demon by the shoulder and hoist him into the air as if he weighed nothing, catching him before he hit the ground to slam him against the marble floor with such force it broke. The demon was no more. 

Firey eyes scanned the room for hidden opponents, he found none. Only Chloe stand before him eyes shining with unshed tears. She ran to him without hesitation or fear, something he had only dreamed about. The moment they touched was electric as if he was born again. 


	11. Chapter 11

With Trixie staying with his mother Dan had a bit more free time. A bit less since Chloe was off of duty and he was picking up the slack. The last few weeks she was getting progressively worse. It was plain as day for anyone to see that she needed the time off. He hated using their daughter as leverage, but it  _was_ affecting her and she did fall asleep in class. 

He made it a point to check in with Chloe each day with a text, but he had also, against his better judgement, started tailing her. He was glad he had, because her behavior was beginning to be extremely erratic. 

Beside the sleepwalking she was spending most of her time with Maze doing God knows what and the rest moping over at Lux. He was so worried she was obsessing over Lucifer in a deeply unhealthy way. It seemed like she was starting to believe his whole Devil schtick. He had heard her make the comment about their suspect commiting suicide. He saw the corkboard at her home with the religious writings. Dan just didn't know what to make of it. 

He had been following Chloe for long enough to know she would be at Lucifer's penthouse. It was like an addiction. It crushed him to see her acting like this and he profoundly understood how loss could warp a person's sensibilities. He had found her routine easy enough to predict and he was able to use the time he knew she shouldn't be there to investigate what she had been up to. 

The place was left in semi-disarray the way parents will enshrine the rooms of their lost children refusing to change a single thing. Dan was sure there was something nefarious about Lucifer's unexpected departure. He was determined to find out what and prevent Chloe from getting looped into his madness. 

He scanned the rooms and hadn't found anything too incriminating. Nothing he wouldn't expect. Nothing that pointed towards his disappearance. It didn't even look like he had packed any clothes. There was a white dress shirt lain out on the bed among the crumpled sheets. Unusual for someone so meticulous about his appearance- 

Chloe. It was Chloe, she had slept in his bed, probably clinging to his scent. There was something primal and sad in this realization. 

Shit. The elevator. He ducked back behind the bed where he hoped he wouldn't be seen. It was quiet, save for the sound of footsteps. The elevator dinged again. Was this a meetup?

There was a loud crash, it sounded like a struggle, he crept out toward the noise, cautiously. This could be exactly what he had been looking for. There was a loud whoosh, more crashing, he could see Chloe now struggling to fight off a man with a knife? A sword? What the hell? And what was she wearing?

One man lay on the floor, his neck obviously broken, and what the-

Lucifer's appearance rapidly changed from handsome to hideous, his skin burnt red, his eyes like fire, he moved quickly and hurled the man attacking Chloe into the air like a ragdoll. Without any hesitation he crushed him against the floor like an insect. His movements were calculated, calm, and inhuman. 

Dan's heart beat rose, adrenaline rushing his veins, fight or flight and he wanted more like anything to run, but his body chose freeze. Lucifer, the actual devil. This was not the secret he intended to find. His legs were on fire, he wanted to scream, but Chloe. She stood there sword in hand. What in fresh Hell, was she about to fight the Devil himself? That immense power and- she dropped the sword. Was she afraid, was this it? Was he going to watch her die being completely frozen in fear?

Chloe ran to Lucifer without batting an eye. His appearance still that of an unholy creature he saw her wrap her arms around his monstrous neck and kiss him. His appearance melted back into the familiar man he thought he knew. Dan's breath caught in his throat, unable to form a coherent thought, hardly able to breathe, he felt like he was going to have a heart attack. No, no this is a panic attack. 


	12. Chapter 12

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The moment he had subdued the demon she was beside him, her lips tangled with his before his face could return to it's familiar handsome form. Chloe didn't care, she missed him so painfully and he was here, really here. She poured every sleepless night, every waking dream, every missed moment into that kiss. A kiss that was more intense, desperate, and hungry than any they had shared before.

This was the line they couldn't uncross. Feelings bare, motivations clear, they were finally able to be completely honest. And honestly? She couldn't have waited another second to grab his neck and pull him into her. 

Lucifer had returned the kiss with force, the combination of adrenaline, lust, and love made Lucifer's tongue almost beastly even after he had returned to his angelic form. His hands traced the lines of her body, reaching up to cup her face, to caress every inch of skin on her neck, to feel the curve of her waist. His hands were everywhere all at once. He was frantic to feel her, to taste her, to know she was there. This was his deepest desire, he wanted this moment to carry on into forever.

It was pure sexual combustion moments from eruption. 

The two were so blind for each other neither realized the other man in the room. 

"Chloe get away from him!" Dan shouted raising his gun shakily the words themselves unsteady in the air.

Lucifer and Chloe froze in shock. Tears stained both of their warm cheeks. This was not a moment to be witnessed by anyone else. The surprise felt like a violation of a sacred moment. Their reunion. It took a moment for Chloe to process what had happened. Her hands didn't leave his neck, her heaving chest still pressed against his. She didn't move until she saw the gun.

"Dan what are you doing?" She stepped forward protectively in front of Lucifer fully confident Dan would never harm her. 

"Didn't you see? Didn't you SEE? What he is? What he ACTUALLY is! Chloe, he's- he's the Devil. A- a- monster."

"Oh bloody Hell..." Lucifer grumbled involuntarily.

Chloe held strong, "Dan, he's still the same Lucifer. Nothing has changed."

"Are you crazy? He just killed those men!"

"Demons and, look, Dan I know this is a lot to process-"

" _You_   _knew?"_ he barked. She nodded. "How long?"

She began, but he cut her off becoming hysterical. "How long? The whole time? How long have you let this _thing_ into our lives? Our daughter!"

Lucifer moved to defend himself, she placed a soft, yet firm hand to his chest and completely subdued the Devil himself. He stood down willingly and with deference. Dan noticed, his hand wavered partially in fear of his ex-wife.

"Lucifer," she growled moving toward him fiercely, almost predatorily, "is not a thing. Lucifer is the strongest, most selfless, caring-"

Dan blinked hard realization setting in. "You're in love with him," he choked out. "You're in love with the Devil."

She froze, only a moment, she turned to look Lucifer in the eyes as she answered. He couldn't hold back the softest of smiles. Complete adoration in his heavenly expression.

"Yes," she turned back to Dan, "I am."

He holstered his gun and stepped back. "I can't," he mumbled "can't deal with this."

"Dan, don't-" Chloe called out, but it was too late he had gone. Bolted as quickly as he could.

"Not really the homecoming I was expecting." Lucifer chimed in, he saw the worry in Chloe's eyes. "He'll be all right, Chloe. If you want to go after him-"

She shook her head and tears fell and walked swiftly into his arms, "I know this is awful and it's going to be so complicated, but I-" he voice cracked, "I'm just so glad you're home."

His kissed the top of her head, "Me too darling, me too..." His eyes stared out to where Dan had gone. He was worried too. It was terrible each time it happened, to be so rejected this way, but his love was in his arms and for the moment everything was okay.  __He was _home._


End file.
